How does a visit for a deep-tissue massage sound? A few years ago that might have seemed like a little too much of a luxury, but not anymore: The $11.2 billion spa industry more than doubled in revenue in the past five years. And prices are on the rise too. Some massages at New York’s Mandarin Oriental, for one, run a whopping $285. Sure, it includes 35th floor views of Central Park and access to Asian-themed reflecting pools, but you can get a great rubdown for half that by visiting a smaller, less-known spa.

But how do know what you’re in for? First, ask how long therapists have been treating clients; anything less than three years and you should go elsewhere. Also inquire about the staff-to-customer ratio: There should be at least one staffer for every two customers. Another test: Both the therapists and the front desk staffers should be able to explain every treatment, from Thai massage to microdermafusion, in minute detail.

For our money, we like a place such as Exhale, a New York-based spa soon expanding to Los Angeles and Boston, where the staff-to-customer ration is 1 to 1 and therapists have an average 10 years’ experience (a massage that starts ar $110 for an hour). Under the gentle pressure of our therapist’s 20-plus years of experience, the day’s worries melt away.